ILOILO City – A member of the Dumangas team was hospitalized after hitting his head hard on the floor during the 85th Iloilo City Charter Day Basketball Tournament game on Wednesday night at the Western Institute of Technology Gym here.
Dumangas player John Lester “Bolado” Samones was rushed to the nearby Iloilo Doctors Hospital after suffering a cut on his head when he slammed it on the floor during a rebound battle with Uniwheels’ Edward Dixon.
Based on the video of the incident, Samones and Dixon were going for a loose ball during the overtime period when they both got tangled and fell on the floor with the former banging his head hard.
While lying on the floor, blood came out from a cut above the head of Samones while he was also whining in the process. The medical staff were quick to respond and rushed him to the hospital.
According to Dumangas head coach Jophil Cercado, Samones is now conscious and recovering at the hospital as he also believes that it was part of the game and Dixon does not intend to harm his player.
“Bolado is conscious and the CT scan performed came out negative. Yun na lang cut na natamo niya sa ulo niya,” Cercado told Panay News on Thursday. “I believe it was an incidental contact since medyo intense din ang game.”
“I believe na Edward does not intend to hurt my player naman it just so happen na napalakas ang bagsak ng player ko and he banged his head on the floor hard kaya nagdugo at nangisay siya, as seen in the video,” he added.
Iloilo City Charter Day Basketball Tournament commissioner Von Fernandez, for his part, also believes that the incident between Samones and Dixon was legitimate basketball play that does not need to be investigated.
“Just like coach Jophil, I think it was an incidental contact between the two players since medyo crucial ang nakataya sa game so expected na go hard ang each players,” Fernandez said.
“Of course, we do not want to see that kind of incidents sa basketball, so we are wishing for the speedy recovery of Bolado. He is one of the well-loved players here in Iloilo City,” he added./PN
